Web feeding apparatus

ABSTRACT

Web feeding apparatus for directing a plurality of webs arranged in side-by-side relationship and issuing from a slitting machine selectively to different levels of a rotary cutting machine comprising a feed table consisting of a plurality of spaced parallel fingers pivotted at one end, means adapted to be actuated to raise the free ends remote from the pivots, of all of said fingers to a maximum height, and means for locking selected ones of said fingers at the fully raised position whereby actuation of said raising means in the reverse direction serves to lower the remaining fingers to a lowered position.

United States Patent Moss Inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

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Foreign Application Priority Date Feb. 6, 1970 US. Cl ..226/ 199, 83/479, 226/109 Int. Cl ..B65h 23/32 Field of Search ..226/109, 110, 199; 271/64;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Willard ..226/ 109 X Great Britain .....S,759/70.

[ July 25, 1972 3,575,331 4/1971 Middleman ..226/199 Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Attorney-Norris & Bateman 57 ABSTRACT Web feeding apparatus for directing a plurality of webs arranged in side-by-side relationship and issuing from a slitting machine selectively to different levels of a rotary cutting machine comprising a feed table consisting of a plurality of spaced parallel fingers pivotted at one end, means adapted to be actuated to raise the free ends remote from the pivots, of all of said fingers to a maximum height, and means for locking selected ones of said fingers at the fully raised position whereby actuation of said raising means in the reverse direction serves to lower the remaining fingers to a lowered position,

I 18 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures WEB FEEDING APPARATUS This invention concerns web feeding apparatus of the kind adapted to be disposed in a line of corrugated board converting machinery between a slitting machine and a rotary cutting machine.

It is common for a rotary cutting machine to be provided with two or more pairs of rotary cutting cylinders at different heights, and it follows that arrangements for the feeding of webs to such machine must provide for the feeding of different webs to different levels. The feeding arrangements must also be capable of adjustment to allow for variations in the feeding pattern as required.

According to the present invention, web feeding apparatus for directing a plurality of webs arranged in side-by-side relationship and issuing from a slitting machine selectively to different levels of a rotary cutting machine comprises a feed table consisting of a plurality of spaced parallel fingers pivotted at one end, means adapted to be actuated to raise the free ends remote from the pivots, of all of said fingers to a maximum height, and means for locking selected ones of said fingers at the fully raised position whereby actuation of said raising means in the reverse direction serves to lower the remaining fingers to a lowered position.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description, with reference to the several figures of the accompanying drawings, which show, by way of example only, one form of apparatus embodying the invention.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic side elevation of the feeding apparatus in position between a slitting machine and a rotary cutting machine;

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of the apparatus of the invention on an enlarged scale;

and FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 2.

Referring firstly to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the apparatus of the invention, generally indicated at 10, is disposed between a slitting machine 11 and a rotary cutting machine 12. In known manner, a continuous web of corrugated board is fed through the slitting machine 11 and is there cut in the direction of travel into a plurality of individual webs. The number and widths of the individual webs may be varied according to production requirements. The machine 11 is equipped with three sets of slitting heads 11:! mounted at angularly spaced positions on a main shaft 111). The main shaft 11!) can be rotated to swing any desired set of heads Ila into the operative station at the top of the machine. The webs from the machine 11 are fed onward by the apparatus and through the rotary cutting machine 12 and are there cut transversely to form rectangular corrugated board blanks. In order that the individual webs may be cut selectively at different pitches the rotary cutting machine is provided with two sets of cutting cylinders generally indicated at 13 and 14 respectively and disposed at different heights or levels in the machine 12.

It will be understood that the apparatus 10 must be capable of directing different ones of the individual webs to the different levels of cutting cylinders in the machine 12 and must be capable of adjustment so as to operate in accordance with a required program.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the web feeding apparatus is essentially comprised by a table consisting of a plurality of spaced parallel fingers 15 disposed with their longitudinal axes in the direction of travel of the webs. The fingers 15 are pivotally mounted for movement about a horizontal shaft 16 extending transversely of the line of converting machinery and disposed forwardly spaced from the slitting machine 11. Mounted on the rearwardly facing end of the rotary cutting machine 12 is a horizontal shaft 17, which rotatably supports a U-shaped stirrup 18 adapted to be raised and lowered by means of a pneumatic cylinder 19. The arrangement is such that the pneumatic cylinder 19 can be actuated to raise the stirrup 18 thus to lift the ends of all of the fingers 15 remote from the shaft l6'to an elevated position.

For each finger 15 there is provided a pneumatic catch device 20 at the elevated position. The devices 20 can be actuated either manually or automatically in accordance with a desired program when the fingers 15 are raised, to lock preselected ones of the fingers 15 at the elevated position, after which actuation of the cylinder 19 in the reverse sense serves to lower the remaining ones of the fingers 15 to their original lower positions.

It will be understood that the fingers 15 are positioned in the manner described in the upper and lower positions respectively to form a configuration of ramps adapted to lead the individual webs issuing from the slitting machine 11 to the required pairs of cutting cylinders 13 and 14 in the machine 12. Clearly any required configuration of the fingers 15 can be obtained by appropriate actuation of the pneumatic catch devices 20 at the time of setting the apparatus in readiness for a particular production run.

Preferably a table 21 is provided and also pivotally connected with the shaft 16 to provide a surface for feeding the webs from the slitting machine 11 onto the fingers 15. The table 21 is adapted to be swung upwardly by a pneumatic cylinder 22 to enable heads 11a of the machine 11 to be changed by rotation of the main shaft 11b of the machine in the manner briefly described above,

Pneumatic cylinders 19 and 22 can be supplied with pressure fluid from a common source and actuated simultaneously to raise the stirrup 18 and the table 21 at the same time, i.e. at the time of setting the apparatus in readiness for a particular production run, the cylinders being actuated in the reverse direction only after the catch devices 20 have been selectively actuated, and the slitting heads changed if appropriate.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations. such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible without departing from the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Thus, for example, should a particular rotary cutting machine have cutting cylinders at more than two levels, pneumatic catch devices for the fingers may be provided at more than one level and the stirrup lowered from its uppermost position whereby the fingers can be set in a desired manner at other positions intermediate their uppermost and lowermost positions.

What is claimed is:

1. Web feeding apparatus for directing a plurality of webs arranged in side-by-side relationship and issuing from a slitting machine selectively to different levels of a rotary cutting machine comprising a feed table consisting of a plurality of Spaced parallel fingers pivotted at one end, means adapted to be actuated to raise the free ends remote from the pivots, of all of said fingers to a maximum height, and means for locking selected ones of said fingers at the fully raised position whereby actuation of said raising means in the reverse direction serves to lower the remaining fingers to a lowered position.

2. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1 including further means for locking selected ones of said fingers at at least one level intermediate the fully raised and fully lowered positions, as said raising means is actuated in the reverse direction.

3. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 2, in which said raising means comprises a stirrup pivotted adjacent said free ends of said fingers and extending transversely therebelow, said stirrup being operative to contact all of said fingers adjacent their free ends and lift them to said fully raised position.

4. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 3, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.

5. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 2, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.

6. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 5, in which each said catch device is individually pneumatically operated.

7. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a further table pivotted adjacent the pivotted end of said fingers and extending in the opposite direction and adapted to receive the webs from the slitting machine.

8. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 7, in which the free end of said further table is adapted to be raised and lowered to permit adjustment of the slitting machine when in its raised position.

9. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, in which said raising means comprises a stirrup pivotted adjacent said free ends of said fingers and extending transversely therebelow, said stirrup being operative to contact all of said fingers adjacent their free ends and lift them to said fully raised position.

10. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 9, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.

11. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.

12. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 11, in which each said catch device is individually pneumatically operated.

13. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1 l, comprising a further table pivotted adjacent the pivotted end of said fingers and extending in the opposite direction and adapted to receive the webs from the slitting machine.

14. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 13, in which the free end of said further table is adapted to be raised and lowered to permit adjustment of the slitting machine when in its raised position.

15. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, in which said raising means is actuated by a pneumatic cylinder.

16. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a further table pivotted adjacent the pivotted end of said fingers and extending in the opposite direction and adapted to receive the webs from the slitting machine.

17. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 16, in which the free end of said further table is adapted to be raised and lowered to permit adjustment of the slitting machine when in its raised position.

18. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 16, in which said further table is adapted to be raised simultaneously with said fingers. 

1. Web feeding apparatus for directing a plurality of webs arranged in side-by-side relationship and issuing from a slitting machine selectively to different levels of a rotary cutting machine comprising a feed table consisting of a plurality of spaced parallel fingers pivotted at one end, means adapted to be actuated to raise the free ends remote from the pivots, of all of said fingers to a maximUm height, and means for locking selected ones of said fingers at the fully raised position whereby actuation of said raising means in the reverse direction serves to lower the remaining fingers to a lowered position.
 2. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1 including further means for locking selected ones of said fingers at at least one level intermediate the fully raised and fully lowered positions, as said raising means is actuated in the reverse direction.
 3. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 2, in which said raising means comprises a stirrup pivotted adjacent said free ends of said fingers and extending transversely therebelow, said stirrup being operative to contact all of said fingers adjacent their free ends and lift them to said fully raised position.
 4. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 3, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.
 5. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 2, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.
 6. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 5, in which each said catch device is individually pneumatically operated.
 7. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 2, comprising a further table pivotted adjacent the pivotted end of said fingers and extending in the opposite direction and adapted to receive the webs from the slitting machine.
 8. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 7, in which the free end of said further table is adapted to be raised and lowered to permit adjustment of the slitting machine when in its raised position.
 9. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, in which said raising means comprises a stirrup pivotted adjacent said free ends of said fingers and extending transversely therebelow, said stirrup being operative to contact all of said fingers adjacent their free ends and lift them to said fully raised position.
 10. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 9, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.
 11. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, in which each said locking means comprises a plurality of catch devices, one for each finger adapted selectively to be extended below the free ends of said fingers when the latter are in a raised position, thus to restrain said selected ones of said fingers at the required level or levels.
 12. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 11, in which each said catch device is individually pneumatically operated.
 13. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 11, comprising a further table pivotted adjacent the pivotted end of said fingers and extending in the opposite direction and adapted to receive the webs from the slitting machine.
 14. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 13, in which the free end of said further table is adapted to be raised and lowered to permit adjustment of the slitting machine when in its raised position.
 15. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, in which said raising means is actuated by a pneumatic cylinder.
 16. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a further table pivotted adjacent the pivotted end of said fingers and extending in the opposite direction and adapted to receive the webs from the slitting machine.
 17. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 16, in which the free end of said further table is adapted to be rAised and lowered to permit adjustment of the slitting machine when in its raised position.
 18. Web feeding apparatus according to claim 16, in which said further table is adapted to be raised simultaneously with said fingers. 